By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Does Papa John’s Have a Legitimate Gripe About the Affordable Care Act?
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Health Reform > Does Papa John’s Have a Legitimate Gripe About the Affordable Care Act?
Health ReformPolicy & Law

Does Papa John’s Have a Legitimate Gripe About the Affordable Care Act?

DavidEWilliams
DavidEWilliams
Share
3 Min Read
SHARE

Papa John’s and some other large chain restaurants are hopping mad that the Affordable Care Act will require them to provide health care coverage to their employees or pay a penalty or whatever you want to call it. I can understand why they’re upset.

Papa John’s and some other large chain restaurants are hopping mad that the Affordable Care Act will require them to provide health care coverage to their employees or pay a penalty or whatever you want to call it. I can understand why they’re upset. After all, if the employer is paying the minimum wage of $7.25 per hour that only adds up to $14,500 in gross wages for a person working 40 hours per week, 50 weeks per year. Average family coverage costs more than $15,000 per year so it’s pretty clear Papa John’s won’t be a position to afford that.

The ACA attempts to preserve and broaden employer coverage at the same time that it expands Medicaid eligibility to everyone. It essentially includes a social contract that employers have some responsibility to contribute toward coverage for their employees. That’s to keep down the public cost and to prevent employers from acting as free riders by dumping employees into Medicaid at a cost to everyone.

The way the law works is complex, but if we accept Papa John’s CEO (and Romney booster) John Schnatter’s estimates at face value, the cost of a pizza will rise between 11 and 14 cents. (Frankly I would have guessed it would be more.) I’m sure there are plenty of other factors that influence price as much as that, so I kind of doubt it’s going to kill them.

More Read

Can Crohn’s disease be cured?
Symptoms of Serotonin Imbalances You Need to Know
Efficiently Monitoring Your Health While In Quarantine
Shared Care Plans and Utilization Management
Remote Area Medical Holds Free Clinic in Nashville-1000 or More Patients Expected

Nonetheless there are alternatives to placing responsibility on employers. One is the status quo –which results in a lot of people who lack coverage. Papa John’s may favor that, but many people don’t. The other alternative is to have a single payer system  like most countries in the world. If the ACA doesn’t work out I think there’s a reasonable chance we’ll get there over the next 20 years. If we do it will because companies like Papa John’s found a way to wiggle out of their responsibilities under ACA –whether by shifting employees to part-time, reorganizing their businesses into smaller units that aren’t affected by the mandate– or some other mechanism.

 


TAGGED:ACA
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

How Setting Boundaries Helps Trauma Survivors Heal
Health
October 30, 2025
how to improve REM sleep
Unlock Better Sleep: How to Improve REM Sleep Naturally
Wellness
October 30, 2025
uv protection in winter
Winter Sun Safety: Why UV Protection Matters Year-Round
Health
October 29, 2025
Nurse Scheduling Software
Evaluating 7 Best Nurse Scheduling Software
Nursing Technology
October 28, 2025

You Might also Like

MassHealthPremiums
BusinessFinanceHealth ReformPolicy & LawPublic Health

Massachusetts Insurance Companies Reveal Health-Cost Calculators

October 30, 2014
wireless medical devices
Medical DevicesMobile HealthPolicy & LawTechnology

FDA Issues Final Guidance on Wireless Medical Devices

August 29, 2013

Will Washington Prevent a Cure for Cancer?

July 22, 2011

The One Medicare Program that Actually Works

July 8, 2011
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?